(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication support system in which a telephone unit is connected through a communication control device to a data processing device and the communication control device is connected to a telephone network in order to provide computer-assisted telephone services for a user of the telephone unit when the user remotely controls the data processing device by transmitting a DTMF signal and a voice command signal from the telephone unit. Further, the present invention relates to a computer readable medium which stores program code instructions for causing a processor to execute a telephone service processing in response to a voice command signal from a telephone unit.
Personal computers for home use are becoming widespread. Modems have now shrunk to chip size, enhancing the popularity in personal computers. The increasing prevalence of personal computers having a built-in modem makes it easier to access the Internet or other communication networks through telephone lines. In recent years, the telephone lines are shared by the computers and the-telephones.
In recent developments, there is a demand for a useful, advanced communication support system which enables a telephone user to use a telephone unit to remotely control the data processing device in order to obtain computer-assisted telephone services. Currently, the computer-assisted telephone services are provided only by locally operating the data processing device, and the telephones and the computers are separately used. Further, it is desired to provide a communication support system which allows the telephone user to easily transmit data to or receive data from other communication media.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A conventional communication support system which provides existing telephone services by executing an application program installed in the system is known. The conventional communication support system provides the telephone services only when the user locally operates an input device (such as a keyboard or a mouse) of a personal computer. That is, when one of the telephone services is obtained from the conventional communication support system, the user must be located in front of the personal computer and locally operate the input device of the personal computer.
FIG. 21 shows such a conventional communication support system.
As shown in FIG. 21, the conventional communication support system generally has an existing telephone unit 401, a data processing device 404, and a line unit 403. The telephone unit 401 is connected through the line unit 403 to the data processing device 404, and the line unit 403 is connected to a telephone network 402. The data processing device 404 is, for example, a personal computer. The telephone network 402 is, for example, a public switched telephone network.
In the above-described conventional system, a voice input/output unit 405, a dialing unit 406 and a signal detection unit 407 are connected to the line unit 403. Further, a personal-computer (PC) interface unit 408 is provided between the data processing device 404 and the units 405 and 406.
The voice input/output unit 405 supplies a voice signal sent from the telephone unit 401 or the telephone network 402, to the data processing device 404 via the PC interface unit 408, and supplies a voice signal derived from digital data stored in the data processing device 404, to the telephone unit 401 or the telephone network 402. The dialing unit 406 provides an existing dialing function to transmit a call over the telephone network 402 to a destination terminal according to a telephone number input by an input device (such as a keyboard or a mouse) of the data processing device 404. The signal detection unit 407 detects various signals sent from a telephone line, such as a busy tone signal, a ring tone signal, a ring back tone signal, an on-hook signal, and an off-hook signal.
In the above-described conventional system, the telephone services are provided by executing an existing telephone-service application program on the data processing device (or the personal computer). Such telephone services include, for example, voice recording and playback, file transmission, and telephone number entry.
In the above-described conventional system, when a user in front of the data processing device 404 makes a call to the destination terminal, the application program installed in the data processing device 404 is executed. The user inputs a telephone number of the destination terminal and presses a dialing button on a monitor of the data processing device 404 by operating the input device (such as the keyboard or the mouse) of the data processing device 404. In this case, the user lifts a handset of the telephone unit 401 located away from the data processing device 404, and then the off-hook signal is detected by the signal detection unit 407. The telephone unit 401 is connected to the telephone network 402 by the line unit 403, and this enables the user to communicate with a person at the destination terminal during the telephone call.
However, in the above-described conventional system, it is impossible for the user of the telephone unit 401 to make a call to the destination terminal by using the telephone unit 401 to remotely control the application program on the data processing device 404.
In the above-described conventional system, when a voice recording function, as one of the telephone services, is obtained by executing the application program on the data processing device 404, the user of the data processing device 404 presses a recording start button on the monitor by operating the input device of the data processing device 404. In this case, the data processing device 404 acquires voice data from the telephone unit 401 or the telephone network 402 through the voice input/output unit 405. The application program on the data processing device 404 converts the voice data into digital data in a computer-readable format and stores the digital data in a memory of the data processing device 404. The application program continues to provide the voice recording until a recording end button on the monitor is pressed by the user.
However, in the above-described conventional system, it is impossible for the user of the telephone unit 401 to start the voice recording processing by using the telephone unit 401 to remotely control the application program on the data processing device 404.
In the above-described conventional system, when a playback function, as one of the telephone services, is obtained by executing the application program on the data processing device 404, the user of the data processing device 404 presses a playback start button on the monitor by operating the input device. In this case, the application program on the data processing device 404 converts the digital data stored in the memory of the device 404 into voice data, and supplies the voice data to the voice input/output unit 405. A voice signal is derived from the voice data by the voice input/output unit 405, and the voice signal is supplied to the telephone unit 401 or the telephone network 402 via the line unit 403.
The application program continues to provide the playback function until a playback end button on the monitor is pressed by the user or the end of the data stored in the memory is detected.
However, in the above-described conventional system, it is impossible for the user of the telephone unit 401 to start the playback processing by using the telephone unit 401 to remotely control the application program on the data processing device 404.
Further, in the above-described conventional system, when a telephone number entry function, as one of the telephone services, is obtained by executing the application program on the data processing device 404, the user of the data processing device 404 inputs a telephone number by operating the input device. In this case, the application program on the data processing device 404 stores the input telephone number in the memory. The application program is executed to carry out the telephone number entry processing when the user operates the keyboard or the mouse in connection with the monitor in an interactive manner.
However, in the above-described conventional system, it is impossible for the user of the telephone unit 401 to start the telephone number entry processing by using the telephone unit 401 to remotely control the application program on the data processing device 404. It is impossible for the conventional system to detect a telephone number input by the telephone unit 401.